Conclusion

This chapter opens with the 660 episcopal assembly at Mâlay-le-Roi, where twenty-six bishops affirmed a privilege for the monastery of Saint-Pierre-le-Vif in Sens. It points to the calculated composition of attendees, including metropolitans from prominent Burgundian sees and bishops representing nearly every province in the Neustro-Burgundian realm. The chapter outlines the political and logistical role of Mâlay as both a royal seat and a crossroads of power. It notes the architectural and spatial features of the villa as facilitating elite gatherings and conveying monarchical authority. The gathering is portrayed as a coordinated act of episcopal alignment with Queen Balthild's interests, with privileges simultaneously limiting local episcopal control and strengthening ties to the royal center. The chapter remarks on how collective episcopal signatures served to support the legitimacy of court-endorsed religious foundations. The consensus of senior prelates is presented as a central factor in securing institutional recognition. Though the meeting drew more bishops from Neustria, the chapter indicates that Balthild deliberately elevated Burgundian leadership within the proceedings. In closing, the chapter suggests that her careful engagement with the Burgundian episcopate supported her broader goal of reinforcing internal cohesion and consolidating royal–episcopal relations.